Max Verstappen has finally won the 2025 Formula 1 Qatar GP, beating Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. Surprisingly, Carlos Sainz grabbed the third spot in the Grand Prix.
At the start, Red Bull's Max Verstappen swiftly overtook Lando Norris to claim second place. Further back, Pierre Gasly fought past Kick Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg for ninth, but later slipped down to finish 16th. Yuki Tsunoda repeated his sprint-race error, receiving a five-second penalty for track-limit violations on lap three. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton made early gains, rising from 17th to 14th in the opening laps, before mid-race moves carried him up to 12th by the flag.
On lap five, Max Verstappen reported difficulties maintaining balance through left-hand corners. Soon after, Nico Hulkenberg spun off in a cloud of dust, destroying polystyrene barriers in the process. His car came to a halt, leaving him stranded and out of the race.
Max Verstappen's early struggles proved short-lived, as the Dutchman powered through to claim victory at the Qatar Grand Prix. He beat both McLaren drivers, who lost ground after opting not to pit during the safety-car period.
With 25 points on offer at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Max Verstappen needed a strong performance to secure the championship. Following the race, Verstappen now stands firmly positioned in the title fight, edging closer to sealing the crown.
Following his victory, Max Verstappen now sits on 396 points, narrowing the gap to championship leader Lando Norris to just 12. Oscar Piastri remains close behind Verstappen, trailing by 16 points with a tally of 392.